In celebration of National Minority Health Month, we are proud to present a special month-long podcast series in partnership with UPMC Health Plan. Throughout this limited series, we have had the privilege of speaking with a variety of experts in the field of healthcare and health equity.
As we come to the final episode, we are joined by Janine Jelks-Seale, MSPPM. With a background as an R&D specialist and a deep passion for advancing equity in healthcare, Janine currently serves as the director of health equity at UPMC Health Plan. In her role, she uses her skills and knowledge to work towards both short-term and long-term goals aimed at reducing health disparities and promoting health inclusion.
During our conversation, we delved into the importance of developing and implementing strategies to address health disparities. Janine emphasized the recent launch of UPMC Health Plan’s LGBTQIA+ Affirming Provider designation within its online provider directory as one example of the organization’s commitment to promoting equity. By taking an intersectional approach that considers both member characteristics and geographical factors, we can better identify populations at higher risk for adverse outcomes due to social determinants of health.
We hope you have enjoyed this podcast series and encourage you to explore our other episodes. You can listen to all episodes on various podcast services such as iTunes, TuneIn, Stitcher, and Spotify. Thank you for joining us on this journey towards advancing health equity for all.